Iain's 7 Deadly Sins of Digital

If you're in the biz, this post is a must-read.

I’m not suggesting that anyone is stupid for doing any of these things (I’ve done the majority of them at least once). But I’m hopefully going to explain why they’re not good ideas in most cases.

1. Tamagotchis
2. Screensavers
3. Interfaces that look like the tops of desks or tables
4. Desktop assistants / characters
5. A virus
6. A ‘viral’

The 7th Deadly Sin is left open for suggestion. Saying they want a site on Second Life would have been much too easy, and I've written about that much too much already. So, here's mine:

They say: "Hey, we should do a blog!"

You say: "You mean you want to speak openly and honestly with people? You wanna get transparent? You want to give them an open forum for dialogue and discussion? Wow! That's great! Too bad your [pick one] company, brand, product ... [pick one] has, is, will ... [pick one] kill people, pollute the environment, make the world a generally shittier place, isn't very nice, has nothing good to say, lies all the time, does not like giving up control ..... "

Why it seems like a good idea: Because blogging looks like an easy way to do online PR. And, folks on the board can use the word 'blog.'

Why it’s not a good idea: Because most brands simply cannot do it. In addition to the reasons above, add conservative corporate counsel, timid PR folks, marketing folk with low vision, angry stockholders, ambulance-chasing lawyers and who knows what else. In the end, it take weeks for most CEOs to post.

Technorati Tags: blogosphere, iain.tate

The New World of Coca-Cola


Here's the review by Edward Rothstein at the NYTimes about The New World of Coca-Cola, a 2,000-square-foot, $97 million museum in Atlanta.

Coke, adding to all those slogans, must now be the only soft drink in the world with its own shrine: a tabernacle for the faithful, constructed by its creator. I can’t compare the New World of Coca-Cola — as this 92,000-square-foot, $97 million museum calls itself — with the old (which opened in 1990 and closed in April, a month before this resurrection). But if you want to have a Coke and a smile, and you don’t mind being engulfed by an enormous commercial, this museum offers its own puzzles and pleasures.

$97 million ... Jeezuz. Do you think that included the web site?

I guess that's why they're charging a $15 entry fee.


Technorati Tags: coke, iris

AdAge: Account Planners at a Crossroads

Pretty good article from AdAge. Might not agree with it all, but it is worth a read. Gotta love the “7 Deadly Sins of Marketing” (below) from Modernista and DDB. Just FYI: Modernista is the shop that won the $140M Cadillac account away from Leo Burnett who had it since 1936 …

Technorati Tags: advertising, planning, modernista

Auf Wiedersehen


I'm in Deutschland on biz and then on a boat for the weekend. Blogging will be light until I get back.

Technorati Tags: off.topic, travel

Wanted: history widget for Facebook's news feed

Why is there no way to see more than a single page of my Facebook news feed?

When I'm too busy to visit the news page, or am traveling, or just want to go back a week to check out what my friends were up to, there's no way to do it.

To me, the news feed is the most important (and valuable) part of Facebook. It is unique. As unique as Google's PageRank. As unique as Amazon's recommendation engine.

I was reading an article about NFO (News Feed Optimization) on the Inside Facebook blog (great post, btw) when I decided it was finally time to write about it.

If I were Facebook, I'd have an entire team dedicated to thinking up ways to improve the news feed . And then I'd double the size of the team.

The good news is that thanks to Facebook's widget platform, we don't need Facebook to do it. So, if you think a history widget for the Facebook news feed is a good idea and would like to develop it, let me know.

Technorati Tags: social.networks, facebook, balamia

Pay as you goings



Breaking News: All Online Data Lost After Internet Crash
Have an excellent weekendings ...


Technorati Tags: funny

Two for the techies

From GMSV: In a post titled “Understanding Engineers: Feasibility,” Charles Miller explains exactly what engineers mean when they describe problems as “impossible,” “trivial,” “unfeasible,” “non-trivial,” “hard,” and “very hard.” Also, 101 Ways To Know Your Software Project Is Doomed.

Technorati Tags: off.topc

Second Life: Closed for Business


I've said it before, and I'll say it again: If you're a marketer, Second Life is a waste of time.

Now, it seems that several Second Life marketers agree, and the LA Times has the story. Here are some quotes from Alana Semuels' story, Virtual marketers have second thoughts about Second Life:

"There's not a compelling reason to stay," said Brian McGuinness, vice president of Aloft, a brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. that is closing its Second Life shop and donating its virtual land to the nonprofit social-networking group TakingITGlobal.

During a recent in-world visit, Best Buy Co.'s Geek Squad Island was devoid of visitors and the virtual staff that was supposed to be online.

The schedule of events on Sun Microsystems Inc.'s site was blank, and the green landscape of Dell Island was deserted. Signs posted on the window of the empty American Apparel store said it had closed up shop.

In Metaverses for the Masses, I wrote: All I can say is that you should proceed with caution and temper your enthusiasm when it comes to expectations of ROI from this type of activity ... I feel that at present, the main/only benefit of doing stuff on Second Life is the PR and hype that is generated from mainstream media and blogs.

With the PR fading and marketers deserting the islands, the end is near. SL may hang on for a while, but it won't last.

When the history of web 2.0 is written, Second Life will go down as the Boo.com of this generation of digital businesses: An over-hyped, over-funded, PR and VC-driven failure.


Technorati Tags: marketing, second.life, 2.0

From the showroom to the living room



AKQA London has launched a new site for Fiat, and it is lovely.

Update 22 July: Still think it is great, but man is it f*cking slow. Seems to get slower every time I visit. Is this a traffic problem? Bad hosting? Poor planning? Or, is it just so big that it is too fat for the pipe? Either way, they better fix it, or what should be a fab experience will get passed over by the majority of visitors. Common AKQA, you can do better than this.

Lauded by a much-deserved Most Contagious award for online last week, here are some highlights from the write-up:

Based on Fiat’s aim to develop a site that is ‘innovative, simple and beautiful’, AKQA’s flash whiz kids have recreated an online showroom, jam packed with content accessible within a minimal amount of clicks.

Ajaz Ahmed, AKQA’s chairman and co-founder, reels off the site’s unique attributes such as the one screen car configuration, full screen full-motion video and images, simplified finance assistance, one click navigation to almost anywhere in the site and real time test drive booking integrated into the site. Ajaz describes the site as: ‘A televisual multimedia experience’ competing with the likes of IPTV. He continues: ‘We think this is going to be the most important and influential car website launch ever.’ He continues: ‘The whole strategy for Fiat digital is to help the customer chose, not just give them choice. This is a living, breathing organism which will continue to develop.'

The impact the site will have on other car manufacturers is reflected in reports on the first 11 days traffic, which saw a 210% increase in the number of average daily visits, a 284% increase in the number of pages viewed and a 900% increase in people inquiring via the site. Feedback from dealers has been similarly impressive, with many of them using the site instore to access information and demonstrate finance packages.

Technorati Tags: london, agencies, auto, akqa, fiat, design, flash, contagious

A sad day on Friday

Got this email from Crossers today and thought y'all might get a kick out of it.

Our very own Mr Mathew Henry Atherton returns to finish his university course.

Matt's had a fantastic year with the team. Despite his slightly 'unfinished' appearance, Matt's a true professional - and he's won the trust and respect of his clients - and even some of us at iris.

Subject to completing his studies, and being awarded an appropriate degree (with Honours) - we hope to see Matt return in 2008. No Pressure.

Mr Ian Bradbury is particularly sad to see Matt go. And (with the able assistance from Vincent Lawson) came in on Sunday to record this touching leaving video. A cornucopia of some of Matt's best (and worst) moments at iris.

Bradders would be mortified to know this is now on the web - as he's a shy chap at heart. Vince is a show off - but congratulate him anyway.

Anyway Matt - thanks for the year - you will be missed.

Its really worth a watch.

http://www.iris-global.com/matt/

Technorati Tags: funny iris

Blogs as windows into agency culture

In agencyland, saying you have culture is nowhere near as effective as showing you have culture. Blogs offer a very effective and transparent way of doing this. Not the only way, mind you, but a damn good way.

Check out these fine agency blogs to get a glimpse of what I mean:

Leo Burnett Toronto
W&K London
Fallon
HouseofNaked
Strawberry Frog NYC


Technorati Tags: advertising, agency, blogs

Agency spy

Found on Scott's blog:

There is a new journalism out there, writing about the advertising and communications industry. It's called Agency Spy and in a very short time it has written some compelling pieces. The premise for the journal which is available online at AgencySpy is you get the inside scoop. It's a new industry gossip blog backed by a big publication company. Still in beta. Whoever writes it rocks.

Here are a few of their own favourite posts so far:

BBDO Is Fricking Boring Us
Sneak Peak: Agency Interiors
Because Your Girlfriend Bores You Shitless
We Hear SS+K Is Not A Nice Place
How To Lose A 65 Million Account

Technorati Tags: advertising, blogs, blogosphere, culture

A stick of dynamite and a sand wedge


Totally off-topic, so please forgive me. ;-)

I (heart) David Feherty. He's by far my favourite commentator in golf. Besides Jon Stuart, he's the best thing on TV. So, I was delighted when my friend Gregg sent me this gem yesterday:

How Good is Tiger? ...just ask Ernie!

David Feherty: "People have accused me of being so far up Tiger's arse that he can barely make a full swing, but I maintain that he is a special person. There's no one else on the planet who can do what he does or even think of doing what he does. I've often thought, instead of showing Tiger's reaction to a shot he's hit, we really should show the reaction of those who are around him."

"I'm standing with Ernie and my microphone is open. Ken Venturi [in the CBS booth] sends it to me and I say, 'Tiger's got 184 yards with two big red oaks overhanging the green. He's got absolutely nothing. With a stick of dynamite and a sand wedge I might be able to move this ball 50 yards. Steve Williams [Woods' caddie] tells me [with a hand signal] that he's using a pitching wedge.'

"Tiger takes his swing. Every muscle in his body is flung at the ball. It looks like he's torn his nutsack. The divot went as far as I could hit the ball. I've got my microphone at my mouth thinking, what the hell was that! The ball sails over the trees, lands behind the hole and backs up to about six feet from the flag. I open my microphone and Ernie turns and says, 'F&ck me!'

"My producer comes on in my earpiece and says, 'Was that Ernie?' I say yes. 'Fair enough.'"I could have described that shot for 15 minutes and not done as good a job as Ernie did with two words. This is one of the best players in the world talking, and you wanna know how good Tiger is? Ask Ernie Els."

David Feherty on Golf.com

Technorati Tags: off.topic, golf

Nextgen social aggregation from Y! and the big G

From Google Operating System comes news of Google's latest effort: Socialstream.

Socialstream is the result of a Google-sponsored capstone project in the Master's program at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute. This project was guided by three goals that built upon each other:

Initial Task: Rethink and reinvent online social networking

Refined Focus: Discover the user needs related to social networking and explore how a unified social network service can enhance their experience.

Prototype Goal: Create a system for users to seamlessly share, view, and respond to many types of social content across multiple networks.

Looks like an attempt at aggregation to me. A smart move, but I wish there was more of a wow! factor, if you know what I mean. Sure, tying together a lot of loose ends is a great thing (a could be a good business model), but I was hoping for something truly innovative and inspiring.

Socialstream would be based on a unified social network (USN), a single network that provides social data to other sites as a service. A service model allows many social networks to be linked together, letting them share both content and the nature of the relationships of the people who use them.

Yahoo's latest is still hush-hush and very much under wraps. Techmeme reports:

We don’t know much yet, other than the project exists, it will be launched at mosh.yahoo.com and is being called a “new cool social network product” within Yahoo. No screen shots are available yet. See our earlier post for more.

A comment on Techcrunch suggests that Nokia defines 'mosh' as "mobilize and share" ... http://mosh.nokia.com ... But from the name, I'd assume it to be an aggregator as well. Anyway, that's what portals do, right? I guess if you're Yahoo, the thinking must go something like this:

If you can't beat 'em, aggregate 'em.


Technorati Tags: social.networks, google, yahoo, socialstream, mosh

Independence Day


photo by seth

You know us Yanks; we love a good 4th of July blockbuster.

Most of the time, they come from Hollywood, but this year it seems that people are queuing up for a little screen instead of the big one.

Whilst actual iPhone sales volumes being reported are a bit dubious, the sales and buzz has been absolutely insane. They’re sold out everywhere, and though not all the coverage is perfect, the overall buzz is strong, loud and positive.

iPhone shatters AT&T record, dwarfs RAZR (MacNN)
Discussion: Business Week, TechCrunch, Publishing 2.0

Apple IPhone Sold Out at Most Stores After Four Days (Bloomberg)
Discussion: Podcasting News and Oliver Thylmann's Thoughts

To all you other seppos out there, Happy 4th!

Technorati Tags: mobile, apple, iphone

Integrating advocacy



An article I wrote about integrated advocacy marketing was published in Campaign magazine last week. Some excerpts are below, and you can download a PDF of the article here:

Most people don’t trust advertising.

In fact, as Yankelovich reported two years ago, 76 percent of people don’t believe that companies tell the truth in advertising. That’s a hard number for people in our business to look at, isn’t it?

So, if people don’t trust advertising, who do they trust? The answer is simple: over two thirds of people in the USA and half of people in Europe trust people “like themselves”.

We live in an age where people are bombarded by messages in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. In urban environments, studies show that people are exposed to between three and five thousand messages a day. And you know what? People are getting tired of it and are beginning to feel much more hostile to advertising than they did in the past.

It is time for marketers to give people reasons to talk about their brands and facilitate conversations rather than fight them. It is time for marketers to actively engage in digital reputation management and realise that they can either get involved or be relegated to the sidelines.

My colleagues at iris decided to redecorate the iris homepage. Thanks guys.


Technorati Tags: advocacy, wom, iris

Kottke and Wilson are wrong

Two bloggers who I respect and read on a regular basis have both posted about different aspects of Facebook in the past few days. And they've both got it wrong.

Jason Kottke posts and then clarifies his comparison of Facebook and AOL. It is an interesting comparison, but I don't agree with it at all. Essentially, he argues that Facebook is a closed network in which everything that happens is private and inside a walled garden ... and he thinks that's a bad thing.

Think of it this way. Facebook is an intranet for you and your friends that just happens to be accessible without a VPN. If you're not a Facebook user, you can't do anything with the site...nearly everything published by their users is private. Google doesn't index any user-created information on Facebook.2 AFAIK, user data is available through the platform but that hardly makes it open...all of the significant information and, more importantly, interaction still happens in private. Compare this with MySpace or Flickr or YouTube. Much of the information generated on these sites is publicly available. The pages are indexed by search engines. You don't have to be a user to participate (in the broadest sense...reading, viewing, and lurking are participating).

Faced with competition from this open web, AOL lost ... running a closed service with custom content and interfaces was no match for the wild frontier of the web.

Kottkes' got it wrong.

AOL limited people's access and created a "safe" environment for one reason: control. Other than a dinosaur-like desire to have more control over what people do online in an attempt to profit from it, there was no reason for AOL to create their walled garden and limit people's access to the web.

There is a reason why Facebook is a walled garden: Members want control and in most cases don't want all the information they publish made available to the public.

That's a pretty fundamental difference, don't cha think?

Jason compares YouTube and MySpace to Facebook and concludes that the former are more open. With regards to MySpace, I agree to some extent. But, it is hard to compare YouTube with Facebook. That's apples and oranges to me.

In terms of calling MySpace more open than Facebook, it might be more open to the public (as in Google and others can index/search the site), but it is a long way from being as open as Facebook in terms of allowing 3rd parties to work with the service.

Fact is, Facebook's new platform is incredibly open when compared to MySpace, LinkedIn and countless other networks. Allowing developers to create and publish widgets and other applications was a bold move. Sure, the interaction and content is still inside a walled garden, but I think that's a fundamental part of their offering.

Meanwhile, Fred Wilson voices some concerns about Facebook's age distribution ...

Facebook is still predominantly a 15 to 26 year old service. The usage drops off dramatically once people get above 30 years old.

This will be an interesting data set to come back to in six months time, a year's time, and so on. We'll see if Facebook can move beyond the Techcrunch 50,000 into the mainstream among the older crowd. One thing they have going for them is it appears once you are on Facebook, you don't leave. So time will start to move those numbers up on its own.

I think Fred is asking the wrong questions. Here's my comment on Fred's post:

Hi Fred,

Sure, the older crowd isn't signing up in droves for Facebook et al, but is that any surprise? They're not natives, and the idea of online social networks is a foreign concept.

I see no reason to expect a massive behavioral shift towards the adoption and use of social networks by older audiences will occur. Their media consumption and usage patters (as well as their social interaction patterns) are well-established.

I don't think this is about Facebook moving "into the mainstream among the older crowd." Rather, I think the stats to watch and questions to ask are:

What's the sign-up rate of new/younger "natives?" In other words, is it still gaining traction amongst the key user groups?

What's the churn rate of as Facebook members as they get older? Does Facebook stays relevant to them over time or do they move on? In other words, is Facebook (and/or the other social networks) becoming an integral part of people's lives.

BTW, it is fascinating to watch Facebook explode onto the scene here in London and across Europe. And whilst it may be easy for certain US-centric marketers to ignore, the potential for international growth is quite obvious from here.

~G~

Fred, it isn't about "six months time, a year's time, and so on" ... Ok, well maybe it is about the "and so on" part ... Is it the VC in you that wants to see a six month/one year ROI from Facebook? It will take much longer. And what's with all the age-related questions lately, anyway?

Right, wrong or somewhere in between, I think the conversation is very interesting.


Technorati Tags: social.networks, facebook, aol, dinosaurs, control